WO1993019162A1

WO1993019162A1 - Fatty acid microspheres containing enterococcus for use to enhance growth and improve carcass quality

Info

Publication number: WO1993019162A1
Application number: PCT/US1993/000867
Authority: WO
Inventors: William M. Rutherford; Jack E. Allen; Scott M. Dennis; Mark A. Hinds; Gregory R. Dana
Original assignee: Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
Priority date: 1992-03-17
Filing date: 1993-02-03
Publication date: 1993-09-30
Also published as: RU2109052C1; SK111694A3; BR9306121A; RO112896B1; CA2131790A1; JP2849877B2; RU94043791A; BG99113A; JPH07505056A; CZ225394A3; EP0631616A1; HUT67965A; EP0631616A4; SI9300128A; MX9301017A; HU9402673D0

Abstract

Dried, rotary disc fatty acid microspheres of Enterococcus faecium, strains 301 and 202 are mixed and used as a feed additive for animals for growth enhancement and carcass quality improvement.

Description

Title: FATTY ACID MICROSPHERES CONTAINING

ENTEROCOCCUS FOR USE TO ENHANCE GROWTH AND IMPROVE CARCASS QUALITY

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Growth enhancers in the form of antibiotics have been used extensively for poultry, namely chickens and turkey. Growth enhancers such as Stafac ® and BMD ® (bacitracin methylene disalicylate) are known

antibiotics and have been used at sub-therapeutic levels of for example, 10 grams per ton and 25 grams per ton as feed additives in order to promote

desirable growth features in poultry. However, the use of antibiotics for these purposes has recently come under some criticism. One of the criticisms is the possibility that the poultry eventually develop tolerance to the antibiotics and eventually the antibiotic no longer works well for growth promotion. Other objections relate to health concerns from non-natural antibiotic additives and the adulterating effects they may have. Nevertheless, because of the advantages of antibiotic uses they are still commonly used in order to improve feed conversion, improve carcass composition, and enhance growth.

It is known that certain bacteria are potentially beneficial when added to animal feeds. These bacteria are beneficial in that they supply a natural

intestinal micro-flora. Some companies offer for sale direct-fed microbials which contain desirable

bacteria. Direct-fed microbials, however, do have some difficulty in maintaining a stable product.

Typically, the direct-fed microbial is used at a fairly low level, added to feed at perhaps a 0.1% level. However, unused direct-fed microbial containing feed or feed additive product is often stored by the farmers for long periods of time. This storage many times is under conditions where there is some moisture and high temperature. In many instances there is just enough moisture that the bacteria are activated or start to grow, but yet there is an insufficient amount of moisture to sustain them. As a result they die. Thus, the activity of the direct-fed microbial is stopped. In other instances, the

addition of antibiotics to the direct-fed microbial containing feed or feed additive adversely interacts with the bacteria, particularly if there are small amounts of moisture present and thus again bacteria are killed. Thus, there is a significant problem of long term storage stability for direct-fed microbials.

In another environment, where the direct-fed microbial is added to, for example chicken feed, it is common to pelletize the material with the direct-fed microbial added before pelletizing. Moisture from steam used during pelletization partially activates the bacteria, but may, as a result of insufficient moisture to sustain them, kill them. Also heat during pelletization may kill them. Then, too, there is the problem of the acid environment of the stomach

potentially inactivating bacteria before they really reach the intestine. Thus, there is a continuing need for direct-fed microbials which will release the organisms only at the proper time in the intestine, without early release due to moisture conditions or adverse pH conditions such as exist in the digestive tract anterior to the small intestine. Certain features of poultry are especially desirable to achieve if possible. Those include an increased rate of weight gain, better feed conversion, carcass composition, and finally uniformity of flock weight. Increased rate of weight gain and better feed conversion are, of course, desirable for the attendant economics that accompany these desirable results. The composition of carcass is important because the most desirable area for tissue deposit is the breast in order to yield a high amount of choice meat. Thus, weight gain is not only important, but where the weight is gained on the carcass is also important.

Uniformity of flock weight is important because if more birds are normal in size, less hand labor is required and processors can more extensively rely on machine processing. On the other hand, if the birds vary considerably from very small birds to very large birds, even though the overall flock weight may be the same, the smaller birds and the larger birds require a great deal more hand labor and because of their lack of uniformity in size, cannot be processed easily by machine. Thus, uniformity of flock weight with a high percentage distribution within the normal size range so that chickens can process by standardized machinery is a desirable feature.

Similarly, a direct-fed microbial which is not only useful for poultry, such as chickens and turkeys, but also useful for swine would be highly beneficial.

It is a primary objective of the present

invention to provide a poultry direct-fed microbial which contains no antibiotics and contains only fatty acid microspheres containing naturally occurring organisms. It is another primary objective of the present invention to provide a direct-fed microbial which contains two organisms, namely Enterococcus faecium 301, DSM No. DSM-Nr. 4789, and Enterococcus faecium 202, DSM No. DSM-Nr. 4788. DSM is a Bacterial Culture collection in Germany. DMS stands for Deutsche

Sammlung von Mikroorganismen located in Braunschweig, West Germany. These organisms will be deposited at the ATCC, with all restrictions lifted upon notice of allowable claims.

It is a further objective of the present

invention to provide a direct-fed microbial which, for poultry, provides increased rate of weight gain, which provides better feed conversion, which provides higher yield of breast meat, and which provides for

uniformity of flock weight within the range of normal size.

An even further primary objective of the present invention is to provide direct-fed microbials suitable for poultry feed ration addition which contains bacteria that are in microsphere form using a special rotary technique using free fatty acid matrix.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a direct-fed microbial which has stability at levels within the range of from 3 months to 6 months without any significant organism count reduction.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a process of rotary formation of spheres containing the dried bacteria which provides having uniform size.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide rotary disc spheres of dried bacteria which are free flowing, and easily processable with poultry feed rations. A still further objective is to provide a

microsphere of fatty acid material containing certain bacteria, with spheres being useful as a direct-fed microbial for both poultry and swine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show graphically the stability of the strains using stearic acid matrix.

Figure 4 is a graph showing breast yield

distribution for a feeding trial of the direct-fed microbial composition of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a graph showing body weight

Figures 4 and 5 show a control, use of an

antibiotic and use of the direct-fed microbial of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a method and composition of growth promotion for poultry and swine which comprises adding to the normal feed ration a small but growth promoting effective amount of a direct-fed microbial which contains dried, fatty acid microspheres of

Enterococcus faecium 301, DSM No. DSM-Nr. 4789, and dried fatty acid microspheres of Enterococcus faecium 202, DSM No. DSM-Nr. 4788, where preferably the fatty microspheres are formed by rotary disc drying.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It has been surprisingly discovered that the growth promotion of poultry and swine can be

accomplished by adding to normal feed rations, a certain amount of fatty acid microspheres of

Enterococcus faecium 301, DSM No. DSM-Nr. 4789, and a certain amount of fatty acid microspheres of

Enterococcus faecium 202, DSM No. DSM-Nr. 4788. A fatty acid employed may be any one of the C₁₂ to C₂₄ free fatty acids, but is preferably stearic acid. The organisms are preferably present in about equal amounts but may vary within the range from about 30% to about 70% of one of the organisms with the balance being the other.

It is not known precisely why these two organisms provide the desirable features of the present

invention, especially for poultry, namely increased rate of weight gain, better feed conversion, increased yield of breast meat, and increased uniformity of flock weight. The fact is that they do, provided that both are used in combination so that they can somehow interact with each other, and providing that they are used within the range herein expressed. It is these combinations of features which some how interact and co-act to provide the desirable features of the present invention which allow significantly improved poultry carcass, meat quality and processing. Similar results can be achieved for swine as indicated by the examples.

The amount of direct-fed microbial added to the feed ration can vary considerably but generally will be within the range of from about 0.5 pounds to about 2.0 pounds per ton of feed, generally from about 0.8 pounds to about 1.2 pounds per ton of feed, and typically at about 1 pound per ton of feed. The organism count, that is the number of colony forming units per gram present in the direct-fed microbial can also vary within the range of from about 1 × 10⁶

CFU/gm to about 2 × 10⁹ CFU/gm, but is preferably at about 2 × 10⁸ CFU/gm.

When the direct-fed microbial as previously described is free choice fed in the animal feed ration, the combination of two strains of organisms herein mentioned, behave as a growth promoter. Growth promoters now used include antibiotics such as

Stafac© and BMD. The advantages of sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics as growth promoting additives can be achieved with naturally occurring organisms of the present invention provided that direct-fed

microbial is made in accordance with the present invention and added in accordance with the method described herein. In fact, there have been some trials that suggest that a combination of direct-fed microbial and growth promotant together exceeds the advantages of either alone and thus they may be used together if desired. However, in most instances, it is preferred to use the direct-fed microbial alone since one of the objectives of the present invention is to avoid use of growth promotants altogether.

The method of processing of the organisms is not critical as long as the organisms can be kept alive to delivery to the animal, and placed in a form so that it will combine with animal feed well and is of a generally uniform size so that dosage may be

controlled.

A preferable means of achieving these

requirements is by providing the organisms in a microsphere of a fatty-acid matrix. A microsphere refers to a fatty acid matrix in which a plurality of organisms is incorporated. It is different from a microcapsule in which individual organisms are each encapsulated. In a microsphere the fatty acid matrix functions for the composite similar to the

relationship between a cookie dough matrix and

chocolate chips, with the chips representing the groups of organisms. This process is described in the parent application of the co-inventor Rutherford, et al. By this process, the bacteria are combined with a heated fatty acid. The temperature of the fatty acid and time of exposure of the bacteria to the fatty acid is controlled to keep the bacteria alive, yet allow mixing with the fatty acid. The mixture is placed on a rotating rotary disk, with the result being a microsphere of bacteria with a fatty acid acting as the matrix. Several important advantages are achieved using this method. First, the bacteria are kept alive through the processing; second, the process combined with the rotary disk technique allows for a uniform size of the microsphere for improved dosing. Third, the nature of the matrix, a fatty acid, allows the formation of the unique microspheres. The combination of the factors provides for a highly stable direct-fed microbial with maximum effectiveness.

In the process of the parent application it is important to note microspheres are formed wherein each sphere constitutes a plurality of bacteria in a free fatty acid matrix rather than an individual

microencapsulator of each bacteria in a coating or film like layer of fatty acid. This provides

stability advantages, and more effective dosing with the bacterial treatment.

The preferred matrix agent is a C₁₂ to C₂₄ free fatty acid. While mixtures of fatty acids may be employed, it is preferred that a single pure free fatty acid be employed. It is also preferred that the free fatty acid be an unsaturated fatty acid, with the most preferred being stearic acid.

Generally speaking, it is important that the fatty acid have a melting point less than 75ºC, preferably within the range of 40°C to 75°C. It must, of course, be solid at room temperature in order to be an effective matrix. All free fatty acids falling within the range of chemical description heretofore given will meet these requirements.

In order to enhance the product stability, the bacteria are typically freeze-dried bacteria as placed in the product. Thus, they can be revived by moisture addition.

In the microsphere, made in accordance with the process discussed below, the microspheres generally comprise from about 50% to over 90% by weight of the fatty acid component with the balance being bacterial culture. The preferred range is from about 60% to about 75% fatty acid. If too little fatty acid is used, the matrix will be inadequate for protection. On the other hand, if too much is used, the matrix will be too thick and results in inadequate release in the gut.

The process as used in this invention is a rotary disc microsphere formation process. Generally

speaking in the rotary disc technology, a slurry of the bacteria and fatty acid components are thoroughly mixed with the mixture being added at a uniform rate onto the center of a rotating stainless steel disc. It is there flung outwardly as a result of centrifugal force and forms a microsphere. It is then collected in a cooling chamber maintained at ambient conditions or slightly lower, sized and readied for packaging.

While rotary disc encapsulation per se is known, it is not known to make microspheres contained in a matrix without a surrounding shell, nor is it known to use the microsphere process or encapsulation with freeze dried bacteria. Generally speaking, for descriptions of rotary disc encapsulation, see a paper by Johnson, et al. of the Southwest Research Institute of San Antonio, in the Journal of Gas Chromotography, October, 1965, pages 345-347. In addition, a rotary disc machine suitable for use in this invention is described in detail in United States Letters Patent, Sparks, 4,675,140, issued June 23, 1987 and entitled "Method For Coating Particles For Liquid Droplets" the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. However, it is the process described in the parent application that is most preferred.

It is important to note that rotary microsphere formation provides a distinctly different product than either conventional tower spray drying or

microencapsulation. In conventional tower spray drying there is a tendency for particles to cluster, for the coating to be uneven, and thus for the

stability of the product to be significantly effected perhaps from days to weeks. This process provides a shell coating around an object, and bacteria have proven to be too small, too hard to keep alive or provide in a uniform size to be of practical

usefulness. With microsphere formation, particularly with agents used in this invention is used, the stability of the resulting bacteria, even when

subjected to some moisture and antibiotics, will be for from three to six months with the viability of the bacteria maintained in evenly distributed particles.

When the free fatty acid microspheres of the present invention are used within the ranges

hereinbefore expressed, the rotary disk, typically employing a 4"-6" rotary disc, can be run at the rate of from 2000 rpm to 4000 rpm, preferably about 2500 rpm to 3200 rpm with a feed rate of from 50 grams to 200 grams per minute. The preferred conditions presently known are use of stearic acid, use of two hereinbefore described organisms, a four inch rotary disc, 3000 rpm and a feed rate of 100 grams per minute with a bacteria/stearic acid slurry of 35% bacteria, 65% stearic acid. When this is done, a product having a particle size of from 75 microns to 300 microns will be achieved, with a preferred level of less than 250 microns.

The following examples are offered to further illustrate, but not limit, the process of the present invention. Some of the examples are described in connection with Figures 1, 2 and 3. Examples 1 through 4 and Figures 1, 2, and 3 relate to the invention of my prior case. Example 5, and tables 2-10, relate to the process of this present invention for a poultry direct-fed microbial. Example 6 relates to turkeys specifically and example 7 relates to swine.

Example 1

Example 1 correlates with Figure 1. It shows the product stability of two different strains of

Enterococcus faecium with temperatures of 4°C and 27 ºC. As illustrated in Figure 1, it shows a stability of the encapsulated strains of Enterococcus faecium, with the encapsulation being by the rotary disc device using stearic acid with a level of 35% culture weight. Conditions of microsphere formation were as previously described herein, namely a 35/65 bacteria stearic acid slurry at a temperature of 60 °C, using a four inch rotary disc, operating at 3000 rpm and a feed rate of 100 grams per minute. The spheres were formed, placed in heat sealed vapor barrier pouches and destructively sampled weekly for CFU determination. It can be seen that the product of the invention maintained excellent organism colony forming unit (CFU) counts out to storage times at long as 70 days.

Example 2

Example 2 is to be interpreted in connection with Figure 2. The figure shows the stability of

individual microsphered strains when mixed in a typical feed ration in the presence of three poultry antibiotics. The ration consisted of the following:

54% fine cracked corn

26% soybean meal

2% fish meal

1.5% dicalcium phosphate

1% limestone

5.5% soy oil

12% moisture content

Three antibiotics were added at the following

inclusion rates by weight: decoquinoate 6% (454 ppm), salinomycin (50 ppm) and monensin sodium (120 ppm).

Culture was added to the mixture at a level to deliver approximately 1×10⁶ CFU/gm feed. Feed was packaged in heat sealed bags and incubated at room temperature. Samples were taken weekly for CFU determination. The graph of Figure 2 illustrates the excellent stability.

Example 3

Example 3 is to be interpreted in conjunction with Figure 3. It shows the stability of the

Enterococcus faecium microspheres in feed in the presence of different antibiotics. The ration

consisted of 60% fine cracked corn, 38% soybean meal and 2% limestone with a moisture content of about 14%. Culture was added to a level of approximately 10

CFU/gm feed and mixed. Ten pound aliquots were stored in sealed bags at 20° C and sampled weekly for 16 weeks. The antibiotics were included in the ration at the following levels:

Bacitracin methylene disalicylate .. . . . 50 gm/ton

Carbadox .... . . ...... .... .. .. .... .. .. .... ........ ...... .. ....... . .. 50 gm/ton

Chlortetracycline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200 gm/tom

Lasalocid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 gm/ton

Lincomycin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 gm/ton

Neomycin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140 gm/ton

Oxytetracycline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 gm/ton

Sulfamethazine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 gm/ton

Tylosin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..100 gm/ton

Virginiamycin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 gm/ton

ASP250 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 gm/ton

Furadox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .10 gm/ton

Table 1 is a list of the minimum times for a 1 log loss in colony forming units (CFU). Table 1

Time in weeks for loss of 1 log CFU counts

at 20°C in 14% moisture mash feed.

Antibiotic Time of Storaσe (days)

Control 103

Bacitracin 88

Carbadox 54

Chlortetracycline 60

Lasalocid 57

Lincomycin 75

Neomycin 53

Oxytetracycline 59

Sulfamethazine 62

Tylosin 52

Vxrginiamycin 112

ASP250 67

Furadox 53

Example 4

In Example 4 the stability of product after pelletizing for use of a chicken feed product was determined. The microsphere formation conditions were as earlier described. The conditions used in this study were the following:

Crude Protein, not less than .... . . . . .. . . .. . . . 18.0%

Crude Fat, not less than .... . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. .5.0%

Crude Fiber, not more than .... . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . .6.0%

The pellets with and without the antibiotic (CTC

50 gm/ton) were made with the following ingredients and conditions.

Corn, SBM, whey, soy oil, dicalcium phosphate, limestone, trace mineral premix, vitamin premix. selenium, copper sulfate. Culture was added at approximately 5×10⁵ CFU/gm feed.

Conditioning temperature was 70"C and the pellets out of the dye were 78 °C.

Pellets were stored in unsealed bags and sampled weekly for CFU determination.

In each instance the pelletized product was not adversely affected in stability by the conditions of pelletizing. In particular, the pelletized product showed stability equal to the unpelletized product.

Example 5

Four thousand five hundred sixty, day-old

Peterson x Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly assigned to floor pens (Table 2) with reconditioned litter and fed for 45 days. All birds dying during the first 5 days were replaced with a same-sex bird from the same shipment and same treatment. The composition of the basal starter, grower, and

withdrawal rations is shown in Table 3. Starter, grower, and withdrawal rations were formulated to contain 1425, 1450, and 1475 kcal ME/lb, respectively, with 90 g/ton monesin. Starter rations were fed from 1 to 21 days of age, grower from 21 to 42 days of age, and withdrawal from 42 to 49 days of age. The

treatments were negative control, mash ( Control, M) ; a selected, encapsulated direct-fed microbial cultures containing Enterococcus faecium 301, DSM No. DSM-Nr. 4789 and Enterococcus faecium 202, DSM No. DSM-Nr.

4788 each rotary disc fatty acid encapsulated as described in Example 1 and ed n. present as 50% of the direct-fed microbial applied at 1 × 10⁵ CFU/g of feed, mash (direct-fed microbial, M); negative control, pelleted (Control, P); direct-fed microbial applied at 1 × 10⁶ CFU/g mash, pelleted (direct-fed microbial, P); and a positive control applied at 10 g/ton

virginiamycin, pelleted (Stafac® 10). The starter ration was crumbled for the treatments that were pelleted. Twelve replicated pens of 35 males and 35 females were used with each experimental ration.

Body weights, feed consumption, and mortality after the first 5 days were recorded by pen. Feed conversion, adjusted feed conversion, and body-weight adjusted feed conversion were calculated for each pen.

All data were subjected to analysis variance and differences were determined using Fisher LSD.

Prior to the study, direct-fed microbial culture concentrate was extended with calcium carbonate. The theoretical counts for direct-fed microbial, M and direct-fed microbial, P were 1 × 10⁸ and 2 × 10⁹ CFU/g of product, respectively. An 11 g sample of each product was assayed in duplicate to determine actual product counts. Each sample was plated using the standard plating technique for encapsulated lactic acid bacteria.

A mixer test was conducted for each production phase. The test was designed to ensure that the direct-fed microbial was uniformly distributed at appropriate levels in the feed and that it survived pelleting. Each batch was sampled at the time of bagging with 4 equally spaced samples for the mash treatments and 10 equally spaced samples for the pelleted treatments (i.e. bags 1, 3, 5,..., 35, 37, and 39).

Alternate floor pens within a treatment had non-contaminated feed sampled during weeks 1 and 4; with the remaining pens sampled on weeks 2 and 6 during the feeding study.

An equal number of birds from each sex was sacrificed for the determination of individual breast, body and small intestinal weights, and small

intestinal length. Breast yield and intestinal weight and length ratios were calculated for each bird.

All data were subjected to a split-plot analysis of variance and differences were determined using contrast and estimate statements for the desired effects.

Sixty birds per treatment were transported to a university for a sensory taste panel evaluation.

Direct-fed microbial, regardless of processing, improved ( P< .05 ) feed conversion over the respective Control while increasing (P<.05) weight gain over the Control only in the mash feed (Table 4). The direct-fed microbial, P improved (P>.05) feed conversion over Stafac® 10 which was similar (P>.05) to Control, P.

The product was at its desired level and strain composition (Table 5).

Direct-fed microbial was uniformly distributed within the feed. Direct-fed microbial, M was at its desired level while direct-fed microbial, P was 1 to 1-1/2 log higher than desired for the starter and grower rations (Table 6). The high counts for direct-fed microbial, P were a result of overengineering of the product to ensure sufficient recovery of the organisms after pelleting.

The floor pen samples for the direct-fed

microbial, P corresponded closely with the counts from the mixer tests (Table 7). However, direct-fed microbial, M dropped 2 logs in weeks 4 and 6 in the grower and withdrawal mixes. Direct-fed microbial, M increased (P<.05) both breast weight and yield over the Control, M (Table 8) while direct-fed microbial, P showed an improvement (P>.05) over Control, P. The improvement in the mash feed agrees with the results found in an earlier trial. The direct-fed microbial, P did not show a similar magnitude in improvement in breast yield to that observed in direct-fed microbial, M. This failure may be due to improved energy utilization by pelleting resulting in less room for improvement.

Pelleting increased the average bird weight by 96 g over mash. Direct-fed microbial increased the uniformity of bird weights (Figure 5) with the

greatest improvement is mash feed.

Pelleting increased the average breast weight by 15 g over mash. Direct-fed microbial increased the average breast weight and uniformity (Figure 4) over the Control with the greatest improvement found in mash. Stafac® 10 showed the greatest improvement in uniformity for the pelleted feeds.

Pelleting increased breast yeild by .53

percentage units over mash. Direct-fed microbial, M showed a .84 percentage unit increase over Control, M which was similar in magnitude to the pelleting respoonse.

The direct-fed microbial treatments produced a shorter (P>.05) small intestinal length than either of the Controls and Stafac ® when expressed as actual length, a ratio of either body weight, or breast weight (Table 9). Direct-fed microbial, M had a lighter (P>.05) small intestinal weight than Control, M when expressed as either actual weight or percentage of either body or breast weights. The reduction in intestinal weight and length for direct-fed microbial treatments suggests less energy required for

maintenance and more energy available for growth as indicated by improved feed conversion and breast yield (Table 7-8).

The direct-fed microbial, P treated birds

produced no off-flavor when compared to Stafac® 10 (Table 10). In the second trial, direct-fed

microbial, P was perceived to have enhanced the flavor of the thigh/leg when compared to Control, P.

However, this enhancement of flavor was not observed in the first trial.

A broiler trial was conducted to determine the efficacy of direct-fed microbial in mash and pelleted feeds. Direct-fed microbial, regardless of

processing, improved (P<.05) feed conversion over the respective Control while increasing (P<.05) weight gain over the Control only in the mash feed. Direct-fed microbial, P improved (P>.05) feed conversion over Stafac® 10 which was similar (P>.05) to Control, P. Direct-fed microbial, M increased (P<.05) both breast weight and yield over Control, M while direct-fed microbial, P showed an improvement (P>.05) over

Control, P. Direct-fed microbial, P treated birds produced no off-flavors when compared to Stafac ® 10 treated.

Example 6

One hundred forty four, commingled feeder pigs

(average initial weight 41.5 1b) were randomly

assigned to slated-floor pens by weight and sex (Table

11) and fed for 119 days. The composition of the basal grower and finisher rations is shown in Table

12. Grower rations were fed until individual pens averaged 120 lb followed by the finisher until

slaughter. All diets contained Mecadox ® (50 g/t) up through 75 lb bodyweight followed by 100 g/t

chlortetracycline until 120 lb liveweight. The treatments were negative control (Control) and a selected, microsphered direct-fed microbial cultures applied at 1 × 10⁴ cfu/g of feed. All rations were fed in mash form. Six replicated pens of 12 feeder pigs were used with each experimental ration.

Upon arrival at the research facility, the commingled feeder pigs were given Ivomec ® to control internal and external parasites. Safeguard ® was given after four weeks to control whipworms. Body weights, feed consumption, and mortality were recorded by pen. Feed conversion was calculated for each pen.

Prior to the study, the microsphere culture concentrate was extended with calcium carbonate. The theoretical count was 2 × 10⁷ cfu/g of product. An 11 g sample of product was assayed in duplicate to determine actual product counts. The sample was plated using standard plating technique for

microsphered lactic acid bacteria.

An additional 1 g sample of product was assayed in duplicate to verify the product count and strain composition.

Samples were taken for each treatment weekly and tested for microsphered lactic acid bacteria.

The product was confirmed as at its desired organism level (Table 14).

Pen sample recoveries varied from 1 × 10¹ to 1.6 × 10⁵ cfu/g of feed (Table 15). The two extreme samples are attributed to sampling/plating error. The remainder of the samples averaged around the target level of 1 × 10⁴ cfu/g of feed.

Microsphered product improved (P>.05) weight gain and feed conversion over the Control after 28 days

(Table 13). The pigs were hit with a TGE outbreak the first week of the trial. This outbreak along with time required for pig's digestive tract to adjust to the product may be why a 28 day lag was observed prior to an observed response. It can then be seen that the microsphere' s of direct-fed microbial of this

invention function effectively for swine as well as chickens and turkeys. From the above examples it can be seen that the invention accomplishes each of its stated objectives.

TABLE 11

PEN ASSIGNMENTS

Experiment: 670-9102

Treatments Pen numbers

Control 3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12

Direct-fed microbial 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10

Pen size 4.6' x 16.0', one four-hole Smidley feeder, one nipple driker, sprinklers were used for heat control, partially-slated floor, and modified, open-front building.

Table 12

COMPOSITION OF BASAL RATIONS

Experiment: 670-9102

Ingredients Production phases

Grower Finisher

Ground corn 76.30 82.20

Soybean meal 21.25 15.50

Dicalcium phosphaste 1.05 .90

Calcium carbonate .85 .85

Salt .30 .30

Vitamin/mineral premix .25 .25

Table 15

FLOOR PEN QA

Experiment: 670-9102

Direct-Fed

Date Control Microbial

5/3/91 1.7 × 10³ 7.4 × 10³

5/8/91 1.8 × 10⁴ 1.6 × 10⁵

5/22/91 0 1.0 × 10¹

5/30/91 0 2.6 × 10³

6/5/91 2.0 × 10² 2.2 × 10⁴

6/12/91 1.0 × 10¹ 2.0 × 10⁴

6/19/91 0 9.6 × 10³

6/26/91 6.7 × 10² 5.6 × 10³

7/3/91 4.9 × 10² 3.2 × 10³

7/10/91 5.2 × 10¹ 3.0 × 10⁴

7/17/91 1.0 × 10² 4.5 × 10³

7/24/91 0 1.0 × 10 ⁴

7/31/91 0 1.2 × 10⁴

8/7/91 0 6.4 × 10³

8/14/91 0 7.7 × 10³

8/21/91 0 1.2 × 10⁴

8/28/91 0 9.1 × 10³

9/4/91 0 2.9 × 10⁴

9/18/91 0 8.9 × 10³

9/25/91 0 5.5 × 10³

Mean 9.5 × 10⁰ 8.4 × 10³

Claims

What is claimed is:

1.

A method of growth promotion animals comprising: adding to a normal animal feed ration a small but

growth promotion effective amount of direct-fed microbial consisting essentially of viable, stable, dried fatty acid microspheres of

Enterococcus faecium 301, ATCC No.

, and viable, stable, dried fatty

acid microspheres of Enterococcus faecium 202,

ATCC No.

.

2.

The method of claim 1 wherein the fatty acid spheres are formed using a rotary disc.

3.

The method of claim 2 wherein the direct-fed microbial is from about 30% to about 70% of one of said fatty acid microspheres with balance being the other.

4.

The method of claim 3 wherein the fatty acid is a C₁₂ to C₂₄ free fatty acid.

5.

The method of claim 4 wherein the fatty acid is stearic acid.

6.

The method of claim 1 wherein each of said streptococci are present in about equal amounts.

7.

The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of direct-fed microbial added to the feed ration is from about 0.5 pounds to about 2.0 lbs. /ton of feed.

8.

The method of claim 7 wherein the amount of direct-fed microbial is from about 0.8 lbs. to about 1.2 lbs./ton of feed.

9.

The method of claim 7 wherein the organism count of the direct-fed microbial is from about 1 × 10⁵

CFU/gm to about 2 × 10⁸ CFU/gm.

10.

The method of claim 9 wherein the organism count of the direct-fed microbial is about 1 × 10⁵ CFU/gm.

11.

The process of claim 1 wherein the animal is a chicken.

12.

The process of claim 1 wherein the animal is swine.

13.

A direct-fed microbial composition for growth enhancement of animals swine consisting essentially of viable, stable, dried fatty acid microspheres of

Enterococcus faecium 301, and viable, stable, dried fatty acid microspheres of Enterococcus faecium 202.

14.

A direct-fed microbial of claim 13 which has from about 30% to about 20% of one of said streptococci with the balance being the other.

15.

The direct-fed microbial of claim 14 wherein the free fatty acid is a C₁₂ to C₂₄ free fatty acid.

16.

The direct-fed microbial of claim 15 wherein the free fatty acid stearic acid.

17.

The direct-fed microbial of claim 16 wherein the streptococci organisms are present in about equal amounts.

18.

The composition of claim 13 wherein the animal is a chicken.

19.

The composition of claim 13 wherein the animal is a swine.